Damien Rice

Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice started out in 1997 in a band called Juniper, which was signed to a major deal but fell apart before it could make a full album. Shortly after that, Rice hit the road as a solo artist. His first album, 2003's O, introduced the world to a hushed, gentle voice conveying melodic, emotive songs centred around simple acoustic arrangements. The record became a hit both in Europe and in the U.S., traditionally a tough market for new U.K. artists to crack.

• rock